1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a pointer structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a known vehicular pointer device having a display, such as a liquid-crystal display (LCD), arranged in a center of a dial plate for a rotary pointer. In the case such a display is disposed frontward of a dial plate for the ordinary rotary pointer, the display can be laid out at or around a center of the dial plate without interfering a view of the display with the pointer.
However, in the case where the dial plate is to indicate important information such as vehicle speed and the display is to show comparatively less significant information such as current time or so, the dial plate is desirably disposed frontward of the display in a manner improving the visibility of the dial plate.
In the pointer device in a type as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B, an LCD 610 is provided backward of the dial plate 600 formed thereon with an indicator showing, for example, vehicle speeds so that the LCD 610 backward is exposed through an aperture 601 formed in a center of the dial plate 600. Furthermore, the pointer device includes a pointer 620 for pointing an indicator on the dial plate 600, a circuit board 630 carrying electronic components thereon, and an internal mechanism 640 mounted on the circuit board 630 to rotate the pointer 620 (see Patent Document 1, for example).
The pointer 620 is provided extending along from the internal mechanism 640 to the back and main surfaces of the dial plate 600 through, in order, a backside of the LCD 610, an outer periphery of the LCD 610 and a gap between the LCD 610 and the dial plate 600. Namely, the pointer 620 is in a generally S-shape that is folded through between the dial plate 600 and the LCD 610. With this structure, the pointer 620 is not obstructive to a view of the LCD 610 despite the LCD 610 is disposed backward of the dial plate 600.
In the meanwhile, the pointer 620 is desired to emit light spontaneously in order to further improve its visibility. In this case, for example, a plurality of LED light sources are provided on the circuit board 630 in a manner surrounding a rotation shaft of the internal mechanism 640 and, moreover, the pointer 620 is formed by a light guide member as its pointer main body. It can be contemplated to guide a ray of light, incident through a light incident region provided closer to a base end of the pointer main body and received from the light sources closer to the internal mechanism 640, to a pointer visualizing portion closer to a tip of the pointer main body.
FIGS. 6 and 7 are respectively an overall perspective view of and an essential-part plan view and a vertical sectional view, showing a reference example of a pointer main body for a spontaneous light pointer in which a light incident region is provided closer to a pointer base end.
A pointer main body 501 made as a light guide member is formed in a generally S-form, by a pointer neck portion 510 continuing to a pointer visualizing portion 504 closer to a tip through a pointer bend portion 508d and a U-shaped bend portion 506 having three pointer bend portions 508a-508c and continuing to the pointer neck portion 510 in a position closer to the base end. The pointer main body 501 is formed with a light incident region 503 close to the base end thereof in order to propagate an incident ray of light to the pointer visualizing portion 504 closer to the tip.
In the light incident region 503, a light-receiving portion 505 is provided in one (lower surface, in the figure) of vertically opposite surfaces of the pointer main body 501. In the other surface (upper surface, in the figure) of the pointer main body 501, a hole 511 is formed with an inclined bottom surface 507 whose backside serves as a reflection surface 509 for a ray of light incident through the light-receiving portion 505. A boss 513 is provided protruding in the one surface of the pointer main body 501. The boss 513 is received in a positioning hole 517 of the support 515, to thereby place the pointer main body 501 in position on the support 515.